Long ago, Deborah Nevsimal made a promise to herself. She vowed to seek beauty wherever it led her. Today, she lives her life as an extension of that promise, beauty having imbued itself in all facets of her life: faith, marriage, motherhood, friendship, gardening … not least of which is her most recent artistic endeavor, custom wedding stationery.

“Design speaks to everyone,” says Deborah. “But when it involves the most important day in a couple’s life, it doesn’t speak … it sings!”

A former art director for one of Milwaukee’s most acclaimed design agencies, Deborah’s experience spans nearly 18 years in the industry, and her expertise runs deep when it comes to print techniques. With an inclination toward breathtaking, smart design – and an utter love of paper – she won many accolades and awards over the years. Then, in 2008, she took a step back from design to stay home full-time with the infant child she and husband Charles adopted. But her love of design was too powerful and too pronounced to allow her to stay away for very long. She soon found herself teaming up with a local event planner to offer custom wedding stationery as an optional service.

“Creating an invitation suite is a lot like conceptualizing a brand for a business,” says Deborah. “There needs to be a cohesiveness among every element, and it has to leave an enduring impression.” Precisely the qualities she attempts to achieve with each suite she designs.

With a wellspring of passion, Deborah takes special pleasure in exploring details, from the major to the minute. Each client is asked to fill out a questionnaire aimed at helping to get to know the couple she’s working with more intimately, and to ensure the suite she creates for them is a perfect expression of who they are.

“I especially appreciate working with typography, textures, and embellishments,” she says, “experimenting with paper, understanding how different print techniques respond differently to particular materials, using that knowledge to my advantage and to the advantage of the design. I love figuring out how to make each of these elements work in harmony … to create something beautiful and memorable. That’s what I love most. Creating beauty and leaving it behind.”

Whether creating a custom monogram or scouring the Web for vintage ribbon, indulging in letterpress or printing invitations herself using her 1980s-era Japanese Gocco press, Deborah commits herself to going all out in the name of doing exactly what’s right for each couple. In that same vein, she adapts her style to match the affinities of her clients, allowing for a diversity of motifs ranging from classic to couture. The result is a thoughtful creation characteristic of each couple’s unique personality.

She continues, “It’s such an honor to contribute, in whatever humble way I can, to the most important day in the lives of my clients. To play a role in their marriage, I truly can’t think of anything more fulfilling, or more beautiful, than that.”